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Roger Federer beats Stan Wawrinka at Indian Wells two years after they played in singles final

It was two years ago at the BNP Paribas Open when Stan Wawrinka called a laughing Roger Federer an expletive in front of a Stadium Court crowd and a microphone at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

On Tuesday at Indian Wells, Wawrinka was unable to get the most recent laugh between the two friends, countrymen and former doubles partners. Federer’s 6-3, 6-4 win over Wawrinka in a little over an hour was his 22nd in 25 matches between the two.

“It’s fun and I’m injury free and in no pain,” Federer said afterward. “It’s a special night.”

After he lost to Federer in the 2017 BNP Paribas Open singles final, Wawrinka became emotional during the championship ceremony and Federer stood smiling and laughing while his friend and former doubles partner spoke.

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Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka reacts to her bad play against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka reacts to her bad play against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka reacts to her bad play against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka reacts to her bad play against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka reacts to her bad play against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka reacts to her bad play against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion leaves the court dejected after her lost against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion leaves the court dejected after her lost against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Defending women's champion waves to the crowd as she leaves the court dejected after her lost against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic defeats defending women's champion Naomi Osaka on Stadium 2 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 6-3. In this photo she tracks down a play at the net. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Roger Federer fails to get to a pass shot from Stan Wawrinka on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Roger Federer tracks down a ball from Stan Wawrinka on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Stan Wawrinka tracks down a ball during his match against Roger Federervon Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Stan Wawrinka returns a forehand against Roger Federervon Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Stan Wawrinka gets ready to hit a return against Roger Federervon Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Stan Wawrinka reacts to a point lost against Roger Federervon Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Stan Wawrinka tries to return against Roger Federervon Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Wawrinka apologized to the crowd and explained that he was exhausted following a long tournament.

He later missed the second half of the season following surgery on his left knee and missed the tournament at Indian Wells a year ago rehabbing and getting back into playing shape. He played Federer in Cincinnati, and lost, but the two Swiss Grand Slam champions hadn’t played each other again until Tuesday.

Wawrinka seemed fatigued, perhaps from a marathon three-set match Sunday evening against Matron Fucsovics of France that went for three hours and 24 minutes. Federer broke Wawrinka’s serve in the first set and again in the second while facing just one break point the entire set.

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Roger Federer returns to Stan Wawrinka on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-4. (Photo: Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun)

Federer has now beaten Wawrinka all 12 times in head-to-head matches on hard courts.

"In all honesty, I don't feel like I have dominated him on the hard courts," Federer said. "He had a set and a break against me in Stockholm. He should have beaten me in London. On grass, he was a big threat for me at Wimbledon one year. Australian Open was five sets. Cincy, he could have gotten me. There is a lot of matches there. Somehow I was able to squeeze those out.

"You know, he also crushed me at the French and in Monaco. So it doesn't mean much to me that record, to be honest."

Wawrinka has won seven of his last nine matches at Indian Wells, with both losses coming against Federer.

During that time, Federer has played exceptionally. He's reached the final here each of the last four times he’s played the event and will look for five consecutive this week.

He won his 101st career singles title last month in Dubai and winning in Indian Wells would give him a record sixth title here and inch him closer to Jimmy Connors’s record of 109 career titles.

“I’m happy I’m still walking because that’s a lot of tennis,” Federer said.

Andrew John is covering the BNP Paribas Open for The Desert Sun and the USAT TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com